Rebuilding
by dance-the-ghost
Summary: Integra Hellsing is attacked by a mob and rescued by Alucard. Upon awakening, she finds that the rules have changed, and rebuilding her organization will be a tricky task indeed. Story is set at the end of the anime.
1. The Vampire's House, and How I Got There

The Rebuilding

Author's Note: This story begins at the end of the anime. I love the manga, but the anime offered such a fan-fic worthy ending! If you notice errors in my writing or OOC-ness, please let me know! All reviews appreciated!

Disclaimer:

All characters belong to Kouta Hirano, brilliant creator of Hellsing!

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Chapter One

_The door of the prison room burst inward under the force of about a dozen men. I had been nodding off when the attack began, and I barely had time to register what had happened when rough hands pulled me from my chair. I punched and kicked, only to have my wrists and ankles caught and bound. I opened my mouth to yell. "Alucaaa-!" A gag was quickly pulled over my mouth. I recognized it absently as the blue scarf I had removed earlier. Where on earth was that vampire?_

_There was a red blur in the corner of my vision, and two of my assailants fell to the floor silently. I felt Alucard's arm around my waist, pulling me to his chest. I worked the gag out of my mouth with my tongue. "About bloody time, vampire. Loose these ropes and get me out of here." _

_The rest of the rabble stared at Alucard, fear apparent on their faces. "Demon…" A man hissed. He leveled a gun at us and fired two shots. I heard the report and immediately felt pain blossom in my chest and shoulder. "Regular lead bullets." I thought, strangely calm. "Foolish humans." My vision narrowed and disappeared as I lost consciousness._

I woke with great effort. The pain in my head and chest reminded me that the dream was not merely the creation of an overstressed mind, but an unpleasant and perplexing reality. I struggled to open my eyes and was moderately successful. _Good_, I thought, _I can still see_. The bed canopy was blurry, of course: I haven't been able to see clearly without my glasses since I was five. I wanted to reach out and find them, but my right shoulder felt like a bag of sand. A throbbing, aching bag of sand, but useless no less.

I shifted slightly and tried to sit up. The effort left me panting and blinking away tears. _Integral Hellsing…crying_. I thought. _Good thing no one is around to witness it._

"Looking for these?" My glasses were suddenly hovering in front of my face. I blinked, registering my surprise. Carefully, my vampire settled the glasses into place. The room slid into focus and I cautiously turned my head to look around. The room was not my bedchamber back in the Hellsing mansion! _Of course not_, I chastised myself, a pang of heartache making my stomach turn, _who knows how much of that house is still standing? My father's house._

I pushed the thought from my mind and studied the room. It was beautifully appointed, but noticeably old fashioned. Light poured in from the tall windows on the wall farthest from the bed. The drapes were bleached in places, as if they hadn't been drawn in years. An electric fan whirring quietly on the bedside table seemed to be the only item in the room created after 1890.

"Where…am...I?" I was disturbed by how weak my voice sounded. My words were barely audible over the pulse in my head that kept threatening to drown me. I watched Alucard take a glass of water from the bedside table. "My house." He said simply, holding the glass to my lips so I could drink.

I swallowed and turned my head away from the glass. It hurt to swallow. "Your…" I tried to make sense of that.

"Yes, my house. Go to sleep, Integra."

At that moment I was aware that something was very wrong. I felt for the place where the seals that kept Alucard bonded to me were. There was only the vaguest hint that those seals were ever there. I blinked, fighting my panic. "Alucard…you..aren't.."

He set the glass down again. "No, Integra, I'm not. Now go to sleep."

I was unconscious almost before he finished speaking.

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Author's Note: I hope to have chapter 2 up sometime next week. Until then… 


	2. Waking, Second Attempt

Chapter 2

I woke to a piano concerto being played on an ancient gramophone. Familiar hands were changing the dressing on my shoulder, and I could hear Walter murmuring reassurances. I had learned when I was little that Walter's reassurances were often more for his own benefit than for the patient in his care. The Angel of Death had no problem with blood or wounds on his enemies, but a bloody nose or sprained ankle on his little ward stressed his nerves considerably.

My mouth tasted like I had been chewing on an old stocking. I made a face and forced myself to open my eyes.

"Ah, Sir Integra. Good to see you awake again." Walter was smiling, and I could read relief in every line on his face.

"Indeed." I croaked. I swallowed a few times, trying to clear the ache in my throat. Speaking seemed like an old skill that I had let get rusty and out of practice. "Before you...tell me what is going on…I shall require a toothbrush." I found that I could move my left arm without too much difficulty, and ran my fingers through my hair. A weeks worth of tangles obstructed my attempt. "A comb as well, it seems." I resisted the urge to ask why it had not occurred to anyone to braid my hair before leaving me in a bed for a week. I suppose my brush with death put proper hair care on the back burner.

"Of course, Sir Integra." Walter gathered up the bandages and tape. "I'll be back with them in a moment, and some breakfast as well, perhaps?" I made a noncommittal noise. The idea of eating was unpleasant, but not worth arguing about with Walter and his paternal instincts.

"Tea and toast, at least, then." Walter sounded like he was preparing to argue his case. "Fine, Walter, fine. Tea and toast." I waved him away, hoping he wouldn't press the issue. "Just don't forget my toothbrush."

Walter left, I'm sure feeling that he had won an argument.

I lay back against the pillows, looking once again at my room. Is this Alucard's taste, or did he purchase the house furnished? Somehow I couldn't imagine him strolling into a shop to pick out china or art. Honestly, I could sooner envision him living in a fortified cave somewhere than this tastefully decorated, albeit antiquated, house. The age of everything in the room made so much more sense now: obviously he had not been around to enjoy his estate very much in the last hundred years.

"I haven't been here since just after the turn of the century." Alucard's self satisfied voice floated down to me as he materialized in the shadows of a corner. I hate it when he reads my thoughts. I was tempted to scold him for it like I once would have, but I felt I was on unsteady ground. Not only was he no longer bound to obey me, but I was a guest in his house. The fact that I couldn't move my right arm stacked the odds even more in his favor should I have to fight him. I decided to let it slide for now.

"I bought it, of course, just after I immigrated here to England. I'm afraid that I didn't have very much time to personalize it." His boots made a soft noise on the rugs as he crossed the room to stand over me. "It is good to see you back among the living, Miss Hellsing." He grinned that Cheshire cat grin at me.

"I'm so glad you think so, vampire." I returned his stare. It would not have surprised me if he had taken my situation as a perfect opportunity to force upon me his gift of eternal life and eternal damnation. He had made no secret about his willingness, desire even, to do so. I would have been infuriated if he changed me while I healed, but Alucard has never seemed to fear my displeasure before. In a small way, I was reassured by his self control.

His smirk never faltered. "You were a mess when I brought you here. You bleed so beautifully." I suppressed an annoyed sigh. Nothing good would come from letting him bully me, but I was certainly not ready for a battle of wits with him. For now, I could only glare at him and let him read for himself the pain I was going to inflict on him when I got out of this damn bed if he did not back off.

Alucard left off looming over me to take the seat that Walter had vacated. With his usual heavy languidness, he stretched out his legs and leaned his head back against the wall. Like usual, he was posing. His body language spoke of a world-weariness that comes from 4 or 5 centuries of tiresome un-life. I knew that the jaded routine was an act, but it was a well performed one. We sat in silence until Walter returned.

He came in carrying a breakfast tray and a wrapped box, which he set on the floor next to the bed. "Alucard, would you mind helping Sir Integra sit up?" Walter asked. I expected Alucard to make another attempt to irritate me, but he was all business as he gently supported me so I could shift into a reclining position. Walter set the tray in my lap. I knew he wouldn't let me alone until I ate something, so I picked up a triangle of toast and nibbled on the edge. My appetite woke up, and I was surprised to find that finishing the slice was easier than I thought it would be. I took a sip of my tea.

"Report, Walter." Walter cleared his throat. "The group that attacked your cell was from a small militia calling themselves "Protectors of the Queen". News reports claimed that the Hellsing organization was a threat to her Majesty, and these "Protectors" took it upon themselves to deal with the threat at its source: to take out the leadership." Walter chuckled. "The news failed to mention that Hellsing, even without it's troops is more formidable than a poorly lead pack of ruffians. They certainly did not predict Alucard."

So they were nothing more than a glorified neighborhood watch with guns. It worried me to think that an unheard of group of hotheads could very nearly destroy us. "If it weren't for Alucard, they would have been quite successful. Fools. My organization has done more to protect her majesty than any of those louts have ever dreamed of." I scowled into my teacup.

"Indeed, Sir Integra. This is why we have begun rebuilding what we can of the organization. Vampire activity has already been reported in London, but we cannot yet discern whether or not it is truth or rumor. Our intelligence has been almost completely disbanded. I've started the recruitment process for soldiers, but your name no longer means as much as it did, I'm afraid." Walter looked regretful.

I set down my cup and pushed away the tray. Thinking about my crippled organization and sullied name made my stomach lurch. Well, I thought, while England rebuilds herself, we shall repair Hellsing to serve her. There will always be a need for un-dead pest control, and I'd die before seeing Maxwell and his lot take over.

Walter removed the tray from my bed and replaced it with the ribbon-tied box he had carried in earlier. "What's this?" I asked, suspicious.

"A 'get well' present from Miss Victoria. She was quite concerned for you." Walter handed me a pair of scissors, presumably to cut the ribbon. I had nearly forgotten about the police girl. Even after all her time with Alucard and the troops, she is still so human! It seemed strange to receive a gift from an employee, but part of me was curious. I took the scissors from Walter with my left hand and awkwardly cut through the ribbon. Walter reached over and lifted the lid of the box for me. Nestled in a bed of tissue paper was a pair of indigo blue bedroom slippers. Rose vines were embroidered around the heel and sides of the satin slippers in silver thread. I took one from the box and examined it. "They are certainly…pretty. What on earth possessed her to buy me a pair of slippers, though?" I voiced my bemusement.

Walter smiled. "Well, she knew you didn't have a pair, and when she heard that you weren't going to be permitted to leave the house for several months, she-" I interrupted him "I won't be permitted to what?". His smile disappeared. "Of course you can't go out anytime soon! There are people trying to kill you! Please be sensible."

From one prison to another. I'm finally out of the Tower of London, and now I'm going to have to sit on my hands again in a mansion owned by my _former_ slave, with a pair of bloody _bedroom slippers _for company. I sighed.

"I suppose there is enough work to do around here to keep me indoors for a few weeks anyway. Bring me all the information we have about the vampire activity, and a list of all surviving Hellsing Organization employees. Find out what has been done with the Hellsing fortune. They'll probably be declaring me dead soon, and I don't want any of my father's "friends", or any cousins to start clamoring for the estate."

"Certainly, Sir Integra." Walter bowed slightly and carried away the breakfast things. Alucard, who had been suspiciously quiet during the whole conversation, stood as if to follow Walter out. He gazed at me for a moment, and I thought he was going to say something. This was when I would normally give him his orders, but he was not mine to command anymore. After a few seconds, he turned and left, melting through the solid oak door.

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Author's Note:

I'm looking for a beta who is very familiar with the Hellsing Universe. My lovely twin is beta-ing for technical mistakes, but I would hate to make any grave character errors!

Again, to all readers, reviews are appreciated!


	3. A Look In The Mirror

Author's Note:

I apologize for the long time between updates. I've been working full-time, and then I had Anime-Expo to attend. It was amazing! If anyone gets the chance to go next year, I reccomend it!

I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter, but if I dont put it up soon, I never will. Anyway, I hope my readers wont be disapointed! Feedback is appreciated!

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A Look In The Mirror 

I wish I could say that I spent the rest of the day hard at work, preparing orders for the lawyers, and catching up on local vampire activity. It would be more accurate to say that I was buried in my work. Walter had brought in an armload of file folders, and set them on the left side of the bed where I could reach them. Without a desk to organize anything on, the papers quickly became an enveloping mess. Three reports of vampire attacks, two in London, and one in Madrid against an English couple on vacation. There were a few tabloids with articles about the Hellsing fiasco that needed to be dealt with. There was so much work to do, but I kept…falling..asleep…

The light was dim when I woke up again. My glasses had been removed, and all the papers were gone. _Damn,_ I thought, _now I'll never find anything_. Blindly, I reached out for my glasses on the bedside table. It wasn't until I had them halfway to my face that I realized I had used my right shoulder. _How is it healed already? This morning I couldn't even lift a file folder!_ I reached my left hand up to touch the bandaged wound. It still hurt if I pressed on it, but I had some mobility, and that was a relief. My eyes lighted upon the toothbrush and comb Walter had set out for me. Perhaps if I had healed enough to use my shoulder then I had the strength to get out of this bed! I rolled to my side. _That worked well enough. _With a concentrated effort, I swung my legs to the floor and stood up. My head was swimming, but I was standing.

_Now, to find a bathroom_. I grabbed the comb and toothbrush and made my way to the only door in the room that no one had come in or out of. It had to be either a closet or a bathroom, and if my luck was holding out, it would be a bathroom with running water. I opened the door, and was rewarded to see a spacious, tiled room with a sink, a toilet, and a beautiful clawfoot tub. In a corner was a vanity table with a lamp and matches set out on it. I decided to light the lamp now, while there was still some light out to see by, rather than stumble back to bed risking new injury by unexpected furniture.

The wick lit easily, and I was pleased to see how much light it threw. _The mirrors must help,_ I thoughtI caught a glimpse of myself in one of them and gasped. I was thinner and paler than I remembered being in the tower. The bags under my eyes could have been bruises. _How can I look so tired when all I've done is sleep?_ I'm not a vain woman, but resembling a corpse should concern anyone. My collarbones were prominent, and a blue vein traced its way around my neck, disappearing down the front of my…what was I wearing?

It wasn't a nightgown I remembered owning. All of mine were plain cotton shifts. I don't think I've ever picked out a nightgown, there was just always one there in the second drawer of my dresser, clean and folded. I'm sure I could thank the combined efforts of the laundry-woman and my maid for that little convenience. I'd never really thought about what I wore to sleep. If the chemise I was currently wearing had ever shown up in my dresser I would certainly have noticed.

It was a shade of pink so pale it was almost white. There was no waistline at all, and the hem hit about mid-calf. Whoever had owned the little chemise before had tacked in cream colored lace wherever it would fit. I was utterly disgusted.

It occurred to me then, that this nightgown had probably been left by the same people who furnished the house. I felt a little strange knowing that I had slept, eaten, and worked in a chemise that was around when Queen Victoria was a newlywed. It should probably be in a museum somewhere, not brought out for wounded houseguests. Tomorrow I would ask for something different to wear.

I remembered my original task. I had forgotten to ask for toothpaste, but even brushing and rinsing with water made me feel a little more human. I tried to run the comb through my hair, but my left arm was awkward and my right arm still too weak. I scraped at the mess futilely a few times before feeling the comb pulled out of my grasp.

"Let me help you." Alucard's voice did not hold its usual flavor of mockery. I felt his hands on my hips, pushing me lightly towards the bench in front of the vanity table. My mind immediately objected, telling me not to let him tell me what to do, and _certainly _not to let him touch me. I fought it back with logic, reminding myself that I needed my hair brushed out if I didn't want to have to cut the whole lot off. _Besides_, I thought_, he is being respectful in his own way._

I sat down, watching in the mirror the way the comb appeared to hover in midair. The vampire set to work, patiently working on each tangle as he came to them. I mused silently over his proficiency as a hair-dresser. He had beautiful hair, not that I would ever mention it aloud, and it was always clean and glossy. Even when everyone else around was covered in dust and grime, Alucard's hair seemed impervious. I don't think I've ever seen him brush it either. Vampires have less hair trouble than humans as a rule. They don't move in their sleep, so when they wake, their hair looks as it did when they lay down. I imagine that Seras probably still brushes hers, as a way of clinging to her mortal routine.

A particularly stubborn knot jerked me out of my reveries. I wished that Alucard cast a reflection. I wondered what expression the vampire wore as he combed my hair. This wasn't the type of task he had ever volunteered for before. _Better enjoy it_, I thought, _He'll be back to testing your limits again soon enough._ I almost wished he would act normal. I was used to him being a pain, and I trusted "Obnoxious Alucard" more than "Docile Alucard". _Remember what Father taught you, Integra. All vampires are dangerous. Hellsing's "pet" vampire may be incredibly helpful, but he is not human and cannot be trusted. _

"Alucard." My voice sounded loud in the small tiled room. "What happened to Walter after he crashed the helicopter?" Alucard chuckled. "Minimal injuries. It seems that despite his years, it takes more than a little fall to cripple the Angel of Death. He was out of the hospital in a matter of days."

I was quiet for a while, chasing a thought through my head. There was something I wanted to ask Alucard, but I wasn't sure I wanted the answer. I supposed that since he was being as agreeable as I had ever known him to be, now was a good time. "Alucard, tell me what you know about what happened to your bond to the Hellsing family." His combing slowed, to my relief. He was finished with the back of my head, and my scalp was beginning to ache.

"I was not bonded to the Hellsing family. I was bonded to you." I could hear the smile in his voice as he tried to goad me into frustration. There was obnoxious Alucard again, being coy when I wanted information.

"Fine." I said, trying not to satisfy him, "What of your bond to me? What broke it?"

He seemed to think for a second. "Perhaps it was the closeness of your brush with death. You were, by nearly any standard, deceased by the time I brought you here. Your death would almost certainly end the geas. Since you were about to leave the world without an heir, there was no one to inherit your…burden." There was no self-deprecation in his tone, only careful neutrality.

Something in his voice made me suspect that he was not telling me everything. I turned around on the bench to face him. We were so close that to look him in the eye I had to tilt my head almost entirely back.I never could read much from the vampire's eyes, and his scarlet irises were as opaque to me now as boarded up windows.

I scowled up at him. "I don't believe that you are telling me the truth."

He looked down on me impassively. Attempting to stare down a standing vampire is a ridiculous exercise in futility. "I have not lied to you, Integra." He said simply.

"Refusing to tell me the truth is just as dangerous and infuriating as lying to me!" My voice rose with anger. "Do you think I am such a silly cow that you can offer me suggestions to distract me from reality? I want to know what you know. I have an organization to rebuild, and little in the way of resources to work with. If you oppose me now, Alucard, then I will do this without you."

"I'm not opposing you."

"Then tell me what you are leaving out!"

He dropped the comb into my lap and took a step backwards. "Ask Walter." He said, and disappeared.

I sat alone in the bathroom for almost an hour, staring at the place where the vampire had become shadows.


	4. I Dream

Author's Note: Sorry for the long time between updates! I discovered the joy that is yWriter, and nowI have the next two chapters loosely outlined.

Also, thank you to all who have been kind enough to review. Now that I know that I can reply to reviews, I will try to do that.

Now...on to the plot!

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Chapter 4: I Dream

I sat alone in the bathroom for almost an hour, staring at the place where the vampire had become shadows.

It was completely dark when I made my way back to the canopied bed that had served triple duty as my desk and table for the last few days. _This is no way to run an organization. Tomorrow I will request a proper desk and filing cabinet. _I set the lamp on the bedside table and caught my reflection in the mirror next to the armoire. _A suit as well. No one can be taken seriously wearing a lace- covered nightie._

I sat in the chair next to the bed and pulled the file folders of paper onto the cream colored bedspread. I finally felt awake enough to do some work, and by God, I would get something done before dawn.

The list of possible soldiers for Hellsing was depressingly small. A good percentage of those who were spared the gruesome death their comrades suffered were in prison, awaiting trials for treason. I was fairly confident that the Queen would pull some strings to help us. After all, _she_ knew perfectly well that those men were fighting and dying to protect her and her country, even if the rest of the world was unaware. I prayed that the Queen had a guilty conscious. One more betrayal and…I don't know what. Someone will wind up food for my vampire, that was for sure. Not the most orthodox form of justice, but usually appropriate and always effective.

_I could always find some mercenary troops, I suppose_. I hated the idea. There was little guarantee what quality I would be able to get through those secular groups with questionable training. Oh, they had good reputations for loyalty, but I needed hardiness as well. Poor humans…we die so easily.

I was suddenly painfully reminded of the portrait of my father in my office at the Hellsing estate. I could never shake the feeling that his death had been a mistake. He should have died fighting monsters, not old age and disease. _The cigars probably had something to do with it. Like father like daughter. _It occurred to me that I hadn't had a single cigar since the last one I had in my tower cell so many days ago. The desire to comfort myself with that old habit had never crossed my mind. _I'm sure that will be short-lived. Things can only stay peaceful for so long. When the battle begins again, I will add cigars to the shopping list._

I flipped through the stacks, sorting pages and making notes on the covers of the files. Relevant information went to the right, trash went to the left, and the information on the beginnings of my new army stayed in my lap. I began making a list of things I wanted Walter to deal with. Without Ferguson, I had no one to leave matters of military too.  
That's not true, I realized. The police girl remains.

Was I really ready to give that much authority to someone under Alucard's control? I suppose Alucard could have taken control of Ferguson long ago had he intended to do so. Perhaps Miss Victoria _would_ be a good candidate for that position. She was quite loyal, and wouldn't die as easily as my human troops. Come to think of it, aside from her early refusal to drink blood, she had been an exemplary soldier.

The fact that she was still a teenager made me uneasy. A voice in my head cheerlessly reminded me that when I was nineteen I was already running the organization as well or better than my father had. Put her in charge and maybe she will rise to the occasion.

I rubbed my temples, the arguments still waging in my head. _There is so much to do, no time to do it in, and nothing to do it WITH! I haven't even got a bloody desk._ Fine. I would put Seras in charge, but pull her at the first sign that she couldn't handle the responsibility. I would alert her of her promotion first thing tomorrow night when she awoke. I had no way of knowing where she was tonight, and I certainly wasn't going to wander the house looking for her. I'd have to ask Alucard to have her report to me.

I sighed, remembering that earlier nonsense in the bathroom. That vampire is acting so strangely! I needed to have a talk with Walter. The two of them seemed to be getting along just the same as they ever had. If anyone could help me make sense of the situation it would be my implacable butler.

I had reached the end of what I could do tonight with the information I had. I stacked the files as neatly as possible on the floor next the bed and stood up from the chair. My head was beginning to ache, and the muscles in my wounded shoulder throbbed with the threat of pain. I couldn't complain too much: it took most people weeks to recover from gunshot wounds. This remarkable recovery was quite perplexing. Tomorrow when I spoke with Walter I would ask who treated my shoulder and what they had done. The surgeon must have been brilliant.

I paced the length of the floor between my bed and the door, lamenting the weakness in my body. It had been ages since I had had any real exercise, and my legs felt fragile. It occurred to me that there was probably a sword somewhere in this old house. When my shoulder felt stronger I would begin practicing with that again. God help me if I should have to defend myself in this condition!

For a while there was only the sound of my bare feet on the hardwood floor, making a circle from bed to dresser to door, and back again. I felt a little better now that I was moving. I broke into a slow jog and widened my circle. I was able to keep this up for a few minutes before my legs and lungs began to object. My headache was gone, though, and I was sure that I could improve on this tomorrow.

I stopped in front of the long curtain draped windows. Tomorrow, when the sun was up I would have a lovely view. Tonight, I could see only an expanse of inky blackness. I pushed the drapes the rest of the way open and opened one side of the window. The breeze that blew in was cool and damp and familiar. I remembered fondly my room in the Hellsing mansion, with its French doors and balcony where I could sit and work on nights when the weather wasn't unpleasant.

I knelt on the window seat and rested my elbows on the ledge. None of the lamps were lit, so I could only see a short length of overgrown grass and a few feral rose bushes below me.

The window seat below me was upholstered in soft pale yellow velvet, worn nubby in some areas by its previous occupants. I remembered when I was younger, taking naps on the window seat in our library. I was still short enough then to stretch out on it full length, my face cradled on its smooth leather surface. Feeling almost guilty for indulging in this nostalgia, I stretched out as much as I could on the velvet covered cushion. I was pleased to find that if I bent my knees a little I could lay down quite comfortably. I closed my eyes, imagining that I was six or seven and that the only thing I had to worry about was waking up in time for tea. The muscles in my neck and shoulders slowly relaxed. I drifted into sleep, inhaling the cool night breeze and the scent of dusty velvet.

I _dreamed_.

I was lying in the deep porcelain tub in my bathroom. The door was open, and a line of maids entered. They were dressed like all the maids at Hellsing had been, but they had the heads of wax dolls with their features painted on the surface of their yellow faces. Each maid carried a large pitcher, the kind used to fill bathtubs before the advent of plumbing and water heaters. One by one, they emptied the contents of their pitchers into the bathtub where I lay. I felt the warmth, the strange texture of the bathwater. Its fresh blood, I noticed calmly, not bathwater at all. Of course.

Part of my mind screamed at me to wake up and end this horror, but my dream self accepted this situation with no surprise. The blood was up to my ribcage when the maids left, each politely curtseying and nodding it's expressionless heads. My chest and arms were exposed, and I marveled at how white they looked against the crimson bath.

I felt his presence, and looked up to see Alucard standing beside me silent and composed. He held my gaze for a few seconds before leaning down and drinking from the bath. The vampire kept his head tilted up slightly, and his red eyes never left me. I watched with horrified fascination as he drank, catlike, his long tongue lapping up the blood. Somewhere in my mind I felt strange, being naked around the vampire, but such a logical thought disappeared in the surrealism of the dream itself. I watched Alucard's head, so close to my bare skin. The ends of his snake-like tendrils of black hair cascaded down and floated in the bath around me. I could feel his hair drift past my arms and stomach, and it reminded me of swimming in the lake when I was little, the lake weeds brushing my skin. After a moment he pulled his face away and stood up straight. There was blood on his face. I stared at the vampire's reddened mouth and watched as he slowly, almost lazily reached up and wiped the blood away with a brush of his long, pale fingers.

His eyes caught mine again. _"Integral." _He reached out those long fingers to touch me. As soon as I felt his hand graze my hair, my absurd relaxation broke. I thrashed and gasped, splashing blood over the edge of the tub. I tried to stand, to escape. My hands met the slick edges and slipped, sending me falling back into the blood. It washed over my face and weighed down my hair. I felt a hand behind my neck, supporting my head. Frantically, I wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands. Opening them, I looked to Alucard. _"Wake now, Integral."_ His face was still so impassive and unreadable, but his voice was low, with the hint of a command in it.

I opened my eyes gratefully, panting with exertion. There were white marks on my palms were I had clenched my fists tightly and I watched them fill in with color. After a few deep breaths, my heart slowed it's thunderous pace. I'd had worse dreams. I would be fine. I rubbed my arms, willing the chill I felt away. With a shudder, I climbed off the window seat and closed the window.


	5. Breakfast and Bad News

Chapter 5

Dawn found me curled up in an armchair, yawning over a leatherbound analysis of the role of horses in modern warfare. Modern as of the turn of the century, I supposed. I had tried to go back to sleep after leaving the windowseat, but my mind was too keyed up to give me any peace. I grabbed a few selections from the book shelf and resigned myself to a night of wakefulness.

Now I could hear birds chirping in the trees outside my window. I wanted tea. Tea and answers.

There was a dressing gown hanging from a hook on the armoire. I pulled it on, wishing it was the thick quilted cotton robe I used to own. The previous lady of the house and I have very different taste in clothing, I thought, belting the silk wrapper with its pale pink ribbon. The slippers Seras had sent me were neatly set on the floor by the armoire. I stepped into them, a bit surprised that they were actually comfortable. In my limited experience with feminine fripperies, pretty things always came at the price of one's comfort.

I turned and faced the mirror. Now, with the circles under my eyes faded, I looked every bit the demure young lady that the Round Table wished I would act like. I frowned at my reflection, wishing the whole lot of condescending old men a special place in hell. They aren't here, I reassured myself, and Walter is far too well trained to mention anything.

I left the room with a thrill of anticipation in my stomach. So what does the vampire's house look like? With the things my father had told me about the depravities of vampires, I half expected licentious paintings and debauched furnishments. I was a touch dissapointed to discover that most of the house was covered in white dust cloths.

The staircase was easy to find, and I followed its sweeping curve to the ground floor. I wandered in and out of open rooms, heading in the direction I thought the kitchen must be. I found a library, sitting rooms, offices and even a small ballroom, but not the room I was looking for. I walked through more galleries than I thought was entirely appropriate for one house before discovering the dining room. The kitchen can't be too far off, then. I walked the length of the long room, trailing my fingers over the backs of the dusty chairs. The place seemed terribly lonely. It was obviously designed to be filled with sophisticated conversation, laughter, and the nearly imperceptible sounds of expensive silver on fine china. Dustcloths and cobwebs didn't suit it.

With a feeling I would never admit was relief, I reached the other side of the room, and the heavy wooden doors. One of them was open, and I stepped into the hallway outside. It took me only a moment to locate the kitchen from there, and with a feeling satisfaction, I went inside to make some tea.

The kitchen, unlike the rest of the house, was spotlessly clean and ready for use. There were coals glowing dully in the stove, and a pile of firewood stacked next to it. I blew on the coals until they were hot again and added a few small pieces of wood. I wasn't very familiar with wood/coal stoves, and I sincerely hoped I was doing this right. Either I was or the fates were giving me a break, because the wood caught and I had a small fire going in only a few minutes. I found a pitcher of water on the counter and filled a kettle. With the kettle on and nothing to do but wait, I perched on a stool in the corner and studied the room. Someone had done a good job cleaning the place up. Walter must have decided he couldn't work in a dusty kitchen.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the man himself walked into the kitchen. His eyebrows lifted, the only sign that my presence was unexpected.

"Good morning, Sir Integra. You've healed well if you're able to walk around this morning!" He noticed the kettle, which was beginning to hiss softly. "And you've started tea. Perhaps you don't need me anymore!" He smiled and busied himself pulling boxes of tea from a cupboard. I couldn't help but smile too. I hadn't had tea with Walter in the kitchen since I was a very young girl.

"Alucard and I are working on retrofitting the house to have reliable electricity." Walter informed me. He was cutting a loaf of bread into thick slices, which he set in the iron teeth of a very old fashioned toaster. "Of course, we can't use conventional methods...calling contractors and such, as the Hellsing Organization. Miss Victoria has created a false identity as a museum director looking to fix up a historic house." He set the toaster rack in front of the coals and pulled the now singing kettle from its hook.

I filled the tea strainer with leaves and set it in the pot. While I set out the sugar and cream, Walter filled the teapot with the steaming contents of the kettle. The smell of tea made the strange kitchen seem warmer and more welcoming. The smell of toast beginning to burn was somewhat less soothing. Walter, using the same makeshift hot pad he had used for the kettle (it appeared to be a folded linen pillowcase) pulled the dark but salvaged toast from the rack. That, a pot of marmalade and a dish of butter joined the tea things on the kitchen table. "And how is that working? It must be quite a task to fix up relics like this place." I commented, reminding him of the topic he had started.

"It is working quite well, actually. The electritions and construction crew are all accustomed to old buildings like this. Seras tells me that they will be prepared to start in a matter of weeks." Walter pulled two chairs to the table and ushered me in to one of them. He took the other and poured the tea for us. I considered that, wondering what that would mean in regards to the house's unusual occupants. "How will the rest of us stay unnoticed if there is a crew of workers wandering the estate?"

"They will only be entering some of the rooms. You should be fine if you stay in one of the rooms that is being left in its original condition." Walter chuckled. "Besides, every old house has its ghosts. If any of the workers see you, he will merely have a spooky story to tell his children." I nodded, satisfied. "Good progress. I'll speak to Miss Victoria about the renovations when I see her this evening. I am considering putting her in charge of the military unit."

The butler did not seem at all surprised by this. "She will make good leader when she learns to use her abilities, and she is certainly changing in that regard. The battle improved her. She is stronger, wiser now." This was what I had hoped he would say. I had already made up my mind, but there was a chance that Walter knew something about the police girl that I didn't, something that would prove she wasn't ready for the responsibility. We ate our breakfast in silence for a few minutes before Walter continued. " I was half worried that you would try to directly run the military unit yourself. Even though you are much better than before, I don't know that you are ready for the field yet. Alucard would certainly try to prevent you. In his own way, Sir Integra, he is concerned for you."

I frowned, remembering what I was supposed to ask Walter about today. I set my teacup down and looked my trusted servant and friend in the eye. "Walter, is there any reason why Alucard should react strangely to my asking him about our bond?"

Walter swallowed hard and I could tell he was having trouble keeping eye contact with me. He looked down at his plate. When he spoke his voice was quiet and heavy with regret. "I was afraid that would happen. He told me there was a chance it would, but...we didn't have another choice." His face looked pained. "I thought you were already dead. It...the alternative was worse. Forgive me, Integra."

My breakfast roiled in my stomach. I didn't like Walter's response at all. The fact that he was asking for my forgiveness with a tone that suggested that he didn't think he deserved it frightened me. What had he done?  
I managed to keep my voice normal, though it sounded too quiet in my head to be heard over my pounding heart. "I want to know, Walter. Tell me what kept me from dying."

With the despairing courage of a soldier who knows he is on a doomed mission , Walter looked me in the eye."I injected you with Alucard's blood. Only a teaspoon or so... Alucard insisted that it would allow you to share some of his power. He said it was the only thing that could bring you back from where you were." His words seemed rushed, which was strange for Walter . He was showing more emotion than I could ever remember, even when he heard the news of my father's death. "I knew you would refuse if you could. You've always said that you would die before you would mix your blood with a vampire. When your heart stopped, I told Alucard that he could do anything in his power if it would let you live again."

He paused for a moment, as if trying to decide how to word what he wanted to say."I have fought in battles that would make a soldier die of fright. I've been assigned to tasks that no one expected me to return from. Yet, when I felt you stop breathing, I was more afraid than I can remember ever being. I was not prepared for your death. England is not prepared for your death. I made a decision then that I would let Alucard violate the rules you set for yourself if it would save your life. As much as I regret that it happened, I would make the same decision again if I had to."

My mind was racing and I felt ill. My inhuman recovery. My lost control over the vampire I once commanded. The vows I had made my self and my father. These realizations and disappointments tumbled over each other in my head. I stood up from the table, bracing myself with one hand on the edge. "I'm..." I realized that I had nothing to say. What does one say when a trusted friend and partner saves one's life by a well-intentioned betrayal? I turned from the table and left a half eaten piece of toast, a tepid cup of tea, and a stone-faced servant behind me.

* * *

I found my way back up to my room. Numbness was replacing my confusing emotions, and I was grateful for it. I stumbled slightly, losing a slipper near the door. The bed. I sat down on the bed and exhaled heavily. I didn't know what to think first. There was the feeling of a shudder in the air, and Alucard appeared, stepping through the wall. I watched him cautiously as he stopped to pick up the slipper. He approached the bed and knelt, carefully putting the slipper back on my foot. "You've heard."

It wasn't a question, so I didn't answer. I only watched him, my face as impassive as I could make it. The vampire never had any trouble reading my moods, but I wasn't going to fall apart in front of him. Let him think that I am merely angry, that this disobedience was the crime I most resented. Don't let him know that I feel betrayed and guilty and... I tried to stop the thought from where it was going. All right, I was not sorry to be alive. I did not want to feel relief, or to justify this violation. I wanted to be angry, to feel that I should have been allowed to die. I couldn't. I hadn't wanted to die...I _didn't_ want to die.  
I felt guilty, like I was ignoring everything I stood for by not hanging myself on the curtain pull right now. I should be angrier. I should be railing against those who caused this to happen: Alucard for suggesting it, and Walter for permitting it.  
Alucard was standing now, looking down on me with an expression too much like pity for my taste. That he should pity me, he who was not so long ago a servant of mine, disgusted me. I looked up at him and let him read the anger in my eyes.  
"Was this your plan, monster? You finally found a way to rid yourself of your chains, and Walter practically BEGGED you to do it. Such a clever demon."  
His face was so still it looked like a mask. I glared at him, waiting for him to defend himself. He said nothing, so I continued. "You must be very proud of yourself, Alucard. I know that you have been waiting for decades upon decades to get your revenge on my ancestors. You are a coward to wait until I was unconscious to do so."

His eyes glowed. In an instant his face was inches from mine, forcing me to lean back. His hair was a black curtain around us, making the situation hostile and intimate all at once. "Enough, Miss Hellsing." His hands were on either side of me, and his proximity chased all of the arguments in my head away. I shut up and hoped that he didn't decide to kill me."I smell your relief, even through that thick perfume of anger and disgust. You are not your father, Integra. You are smarter than he was. Something in you recognizes that your life is more valuable than a little bit of vampire blood. Don't let your pride undo you." I put my hand on his chest and pushed. He allowed this, stepping back and giving me some room "Get out." I wanted to scream the words at him. I had enough control that if he would just leave now I could maintain my dignity. Alucard bowed and, to my relief, moved towards the door. In the doorway, he turned his head, looking at me over his shoulder."You are growing up, Sir Hellsing, but sometimes you are just a little girl."

I watched him, not relaxing until I heard the door click shut behind him.


	6. Dream of Thorns and Vampires

Chapter 6

How does one recover? How does one put these thoughts aside? The answer is simple enough if you are a Hellsing. You bury it. You push it away and throw yourself into your work, your hobbies, your vices. A box of cigars appeared on my lunch tray. My favorite type, along with a lighter that was obviously as similar to the one on my desk at home as Walter could find.

I sat with the chair facing the window, watching the trees and lighting up one cigar as soon as I had put out another. I wanted something to do. I wanted soldiers to send out, missions to plan and execute, demon scourge to grind out under my boots. I wanted the unpleasant thoughts to stop bubbling up through my subconscious. I pushed them down again and again. Hellsings do not dwell in self pity.

By late afternoon I was completely tired of being in my room. My back ached from sitting, and my eyes felt dusty and tired from reading the tiny print that many of the papers in the files were written in. Was I supposed to stay in my room? I couldn't remember, but I also couldn't think of any reasons why I couldn't wander the grounds.

I grabbed the robe from its hook and pulled it on. The weather wasn't too cold yet, but it was certainly cool enough to warrant a jacket. I left the slippers, not wanting to spoil them by wearing them out on damp grass and dirt. I pulled my boots out from under the bed. My socks were missing, probably gone to whatever dimension my suit had disappeared to. I slid the boots back under the bed with a noise of irritation.

My bare feet were nearly silent in the halls as I made my way to the front door. It felt strange. I was never allowed to wander around barefoot when I was a little girl. There were always people over: dignitaries, professors, other men like my father, with important titles and expensive suits. It was impressed upon me that good girls do not run around like hooligans, especially not with company over. After my father died, nurses gave way to instructors and the lessons about what good girls do and don't do ended. No one would have told me to put my shoes on if I had decided to do without, but the message was quite internalized by that point.

I closed the front door quietly behind me. The granite steps led down to a circular driveway that, like much of the rest of the grand house, looked bereft and without purpose. The gravel crunched under my feet, and I winced at both the sound and the feeling. I must have looked pathetic, mincing my way across the driveway to the softer garden path.

My feet met the overgrown grass with relief. I walked, cautious to avoid the neglected branches of thorny rose bushes that crossed over the path. A large pear tree in the middle of the garden cast a shadow over its fallen fruit, unappreciated except for the birds and mice that scattered at my approach.

From my estate in London I could see the towers and taller buildings of the city. Alucard's house must be in the country. I could not see any buildings over the garden wall. I imagined running the organization from this place, with the heavy trucks trying to manage over the narrow antiquated roads, and the sounds of military drills driving the neighbors insane with curiosity. No, the Hellsing estate was far more suited to that.

The path wove through the rest of the garden, leading past fountains and ponds, and what I thought might have been a small hedge maze. I felt certain that at any turn I would find Alucard, grinning and waiting. The path eventually looped around to the pear tree again, and I had seen no sign of the vampire. Still, my scalp prickled the way it does when he made his "surprise" appearances.

I picked my way over to a marble bench under a canopy of lilac vines. The figures carved into the legs of the bench were worn and covered with moss, but the surface of the bench was fairly clean. I sat down and pulled my feet up under the hem of the robe. The sun was only a sliver of gold over the garden wall now, and I was thinking about going back upstairs to prepare for a meeting with Seras.

The air seemed thick suddenly, even though there was no fog yet. My vision swam as the last of the sun disappeared, and I tumbled off the bench onto the grass.

I was walking in the garden again. Ahead of me was a thicket of roses, with only the narrowest aperture to get through. I pushed in anyway and caught my robe in the thorns. I slipped my arms out of the sleeves and left the robe hanging in the branches. The air didn't seem cold to me, even though it was now dark out and I was barefoot and bare headed.

I kept walking straight because I knew where I was going. My destination was on the other side of that hedge of blackberries. With my hands in front of me, I stepped in to it. The thorns slid over my arms like needles, leaving wet red slices on my skin. My bare feet were punctured and bleeding, but I didn't feel any pain.

As I neared the middle of the hedge, the vines began to curl around my limbs and resist my passage. I pulled against them, breaking branches and leaving thorns in my skin.

I had once seen a horse get her legs caught in a bunch of discarded baleing twine. She kept walking, and the twine cut into her legs with every step. It did not occur to the mare to simply stay still until help arrived. I felt like that now, cut and bleeding, but determined to achieve my incomprehensible goal.

Yet the vines were winning. They snaked around my torso and met with the vines around my back. I stopped, blinking with patient confusion like the horse. A pale hand pushed through the vines and caught me by the wrist. The vines receded, allowing the owner of the hand to pull me through. I felt frightened now, and my skin ached.

On the other side of the hedge, in the pale light, I could see that it was Alucard. He wasn't wearing his usual suit and coat. His shirt was white linen, lacy at the collar and cuffs, and his hat and gloves were absent. He still had my hand in his, and when I realized this I pulled it away. Even in my dream, his skin was like cool marble.

His eyes moved over my body, shamelessly. That look might have been hunger or lust; I'm not sure if there is a difference for Alucard.

"You look beautiful like this."

I shuddered and wished that I hadn't discarded my robe. "Go away, vampire. I'm not in the mood to spar with you tonight."

His grin appeared. "If I leave, how will you get back through the hedge?"

I turned around to look at the blackberry vines. The gap I had entered through was completely sealed, and I could see no other opening.

"This is a dream. I will wake up."

"You're so sure?"

I could feel the sting where the thorns had scratched me, and aching pain where a few had broken off in my skin. Did that happen in dreams? My mind was still foggy.

"Yes. This is just a dream." I forced certainty into my voice.

"Very well, Integra. Then you wont object to this." He stepped close to me and grabbed my wrist. I watched, my brows furrowed as I tried to clear my head. He brought my hand to his mouth and pulled a thorn from my palm with his teeth. Blood welled up from the puncture, dripping, black in the moonlight, from my fingers. He pressed his lips to my hand, and I felt his tongue slide over the wound. I yanked, trying to jerk my hand away, but it was firmly caught.

"Shall I let you go?" He never moved his lips from my palm, but the words sounded in my head.

"Yes!" I gasped, outraged but exhilarated.

He did, and I pulled my hand to my chest, rubbing the spot he had sucked on with the thumb of my other hand.

I did not look at him as he passed by me, keeping my gaze straight ahead. He did not try to touch me again, either. He merely pushed aside the blackberry vines like a curtain and held them open. I was free to go. His words were in my head again as I stepped through the arch of vines. "Goodnight, Miss Hellsing. I will see you soon."

Someone was shaking me and calling my name. I sat up and winced as pain lanced through my back and shoulders. Was I sleeping on the ground?

Walter's face was pale in the weak moonlight, and worry creased heavy lines in his skin. "Sir Integra, are you ill?"

I remembered now, the fall from the bench, my strange dream, and skin torn by blackberry thorns. I shook my head and braced myself on the bench to stand. "I'm fine Walter. I apologize for worrying you." I started back towards the house, Walter following behind me.

"I noticed you weren't in your room when I took your dinner tray up. I would have asked Alucard to locate you, but he isn't around, and Miss Victoria is only now awakening for the night."

He must have searched the whole house for me before going outside. I felt a twinge of guilt. After this morning, he must have been quite distressed at not being able to find me. It would only worry him more if I told him that I had fainted in the garden.

"You're pale, Sir Integra. I hope you didn't catch a cold. Why don't you take a hot bath while I heat up your supper? Seras will be in to speak with you tonight, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind waiting."

I nodded again. "Thank you, Walter. I'll do that."

Alone upstairs, as I eased in to a bath that was nearly too hot to be comfortable, I realized that I was not wearing my robe when I returned to the house, nor could I remember removing it.


	7. What The Dog Brought In

Author's Note: This is un-betaed, but I am without a beta right now, so up it goes.

* * *

I had barely touched the meal that Walter brought up when Seras knocked at the door.  
"Sir Integra"  
I pushed the plate away, not really interested in eating. I wanted a cigar, and maybe a few more hours of sleep. "Come in, Seras"  
The door opened, admitting the nervous vampire. She was carrying something bulky in her arms, and my heart leaped when I recognized it as a garment bag. Finally! Something to wear that wasn't designed to be slept in! My mood was lighter already.  
"Walter sent this up with me. Would you like me to hang it in your closet?"  
I nodded. With the manner of one who knows that the price of failure is death, she carried the suit to the wardrobe and gently hung it up. In a sadistic way, her behavior amused me. She was a vampire who was strong enough to break my spine with a well placed tap, and here she stood, shifting her weight from foot to foot like a schoolgirl in front of the headmistress. I lit a cigar. Seras waited patiently, if a little anxious. "Did Walter tell you why I wanted to see you"  
She shook her head.  
"I'm rebuilding my organization, as you know." I told her. "And, as you are also aware, I am without military leaders." My chest clinched a little as I remembered Fargason. I cleared my throat. "I am making you commander of Hellsing military operations. If events escalate, as I suspect they will, I will be hiring mercenary troops. You understand the way I run this organization now, and I want you to ensure that things are done my way. Is this acceptable to you, Seras Victoria"  
I thought the girl might cry, or faint. I sincerely hoped that she did neither. Walter was probably asleep by now, and I didn't want to have to carry a swooning vampire to her coffin. As I watched, she gathered herself together and put on a stoic face.  
"Sir Integra, I accept this promotion, and vow to carry out your orders to the best of my ability"  
I nodded. "I'm sure you will"  
She made a little motion, like she was raising her hand. I quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "Speak, Commander Victoria." "Sir, what did you mean about events escalating. Is something happening"  
I knocked the ash off the tip of my cigar and sighed. "Something is always happening. Did you think that the monsters would take a holiday simply because the city is in ruins? If anything, we must be more on our guards now than ever. I will expect you to investigate recent attacks and report to me nightly, along with Alucard." Assuming that Alucard intends to cooperate with me. I left that part unsaid. No sense dragging Seras into that mess if I could avoid it.  
"Of course, Sir. I will do my best"  
"Thank you. That is all for tonight. You are dismissed"  
I stood, ready to close the window and pull the shades. Seras made a noise and I turned to look at her. Her gaze was focused on my feet, and her eyes were wide and delighted. "Sir, you're wearing the slippers"  
Of course I was! What did she think I was going to do with them, pot daisies? I didn't say that, deciding that sarcasm would definitely be wasted in this instance. I settled for a level stare and a firm "Goodnight, Miss Victoria." She hastily left the room, murmuring unconvincing apologies.  
I shut the windows and drew the curtains down. My eye caught the garment bag hanging in the wardrobe, and the desire to see what Walter picked out for me was too much temptation. I unzipped one side and ran my hand along the charcoal gray wool of a coat sleeve. I've never been so happy to get new clothing in all my life.  
" I suppose this means that we will not be seeing you in gowns any longer." Alucard's sarcastic voice drifted through the room, quiet and disembodied.  
"I certainly hope so. If you like gowns so much, you should get one of your own"  
He laughed and materialized on my bed, his feet up on my chair . "I don't have the figure for it. Too tall, too flat-chested"  
"And they rarely come in black or red. Well, Alucard, you've been out for most of the day and night. Do you have any information for me"  
A broad grin spread across his face. "I have better than that." He stood, hands hidden in the pockets of his coat.  
"You've been busy then." I kept a wary eye on him as be moved towards me.  
"Indeed, and I brought you a present"  
I wasn't sure I wanted anything Alucard would bring me as a gift. He seemed charged, like the energy that animated him was whirling just under his skin. Without any other warning, he morphed into his hellhound form. Shadows grew from him, shuddering and twisting as he changed, becoming teeth, eyes and black fur. The creature rippled from snout to tail, and blackness shook off of him like water off a wolf's coat. He had something clenched in his lupine jaws. It looked like it might have been a ragged stuffed toy or an old abandoned sweater.  
The hellhound walked towards me on paws that seemed obscenely large. His head was nearly split by a canine grin that was all dangerous humor and menacing teeth. The sound of soft laughter invaded my head and made my teeth ache. I had forgotten that Alucard didn't speak when in this form, but invaded my mind instead. I hated this, and I'm fairly certain the vampire knew it.  
When he was close enough for me to smell the blood on his breath, he dropped the ragged thing on my feet. I took a step back, recognizing immediately that it was neither stuffed toy nor sweater. I nudged Alucard away so that I could examine his "gift". It was a dead dog.  
Not really a domestic dog, I thought. It was small, scruffy, and sandy colored. The creature had big ears and a narrow muzzle tipped by a dry black nose. If it had been larger I would have called it a wolf, but it's size suggested instead a large fox. I checked the body for wounds, pushing away fur to check it's skin. No injuries, from what I could see. What was this supposed to be?  
Alucard had changed back to his human form, and was delicately picking a hair from between his teeth. I stood up, holding the carcass by it's back legs.  
"Good show, vampire. Now what the hell is this"  
"This, or rather, a pack of these, are that inevitable -something- that you have been waiting for. I followed the scent from a recent kill to these little monster's den. To my disappointment, there were only a few there. They went down too easily." He looked wistful.  
"What ARE they, Alucard"  
"Coyotes, Miss Hellsing"  
I didn't gasp or drop my jaw. Of that much, I am proud. "Coyotes. From what I know about them, they aren't much of a match for a human, much less a vampire. What are you playing at"  
The shadows were back, dancing around his hair and face. Whatever these things were, Alucard was excited. He only got this way when he felt he had found something or someone new and difficult to hunt. "Did you know that coyotes are not native to London? How do you suppose there came to be a pack of them roaming about? Especially in these city areas! Coyotes are shy creatures"  
I suppressed a groan. There was going to be no depriving Alucard of his game. He was going to tell me what I wanted to know, one little sliver of useful information at a time.  
"I wouldn't know, Alucard. Perhaps fox hunting has lost it's allure, so local gentlemen imported some of these little dogs to chase." I laid the sarcasm in my voice thick enough that even the distracted vampire couldn't miss it.  
"Good guess. No, these aren't common canines like our foxes and wolves. These are a special breed." His eyes were glowing again. "Can common foxes take human form, to hunt other humans? Do wolves prowl in cities for entire families to disembowel and eat?" He scooped up the dead coyote, cradling it to his chest like a precious thing. "No. These clever little creatures are special. Very special. There really aren't that many lycanthropes around anymore"  
This time I could not keep the surprise from my face. Lycanthropes! Were-wolves, or in this instance, were-coyotes. If I had not grown up with the knowledge of vampires, I would have dismissed this pronouncement as foolishness. I knew, unhappily, that I could not scorn lycanthropes as a story to scare children, the way most people did vampires.  
Alucard was smirking, obviously delighted by my reaction. "The most interesting thing about these coyotes is how they hunt. A coyote alone is a shivering, cowardly thing." He held the little coyote aloft, staring into it's cloudy, sightless eyes. "Well, not this one, but he is a special case. What is important about these animals is how they work in packs. A pack of coyotes can kill a human, or a large dog. Imagine what a pack of were-coyotes can do"  
I didn't want to admit to Alucard that I didn't have any idea what a were-coyote did, besides shapeshift. He seemed to assume that this had been included in my education, alongside vampire slaying and Algebra.  
I brushed past him to get to the bathroom. I wanted a cigar, but I needed to wash my hands first. God only knows what were-scavengers carry. Alucard leaned on the doorframe of the bathroom, the coyote stuffed into the pocket of his coat. It's sandy yellow head and paws peaked over the edge of the pocket like a macabre children's toy. "Are you going to carry that thing around with you, Alucard"  
"Of course not." He smirked. "It's yours! I thought we could have it taxidermied. Don't you English high-borns love that type of thing"  
"Do you remember much in the way of taxidermied game in my house?" "You don't want it then"  
"No, I don't. I expect there to be many more where this came from"  
"There will be." I didn't have to turn to see his leer, I knew it was there. I dried my hands and had to push past him again to leave the bathroom.  
"How did you kill this one? I didn't see any wounds on it's body"  
"I killed this one in human form. He shifted to try to save himself, but it was a little late for that. I brought you this corpse because it was the only one that was still useful. The others were torn to shreds." He grinned, showing too many teeth for one mouth. I'd seen this trick before, but it was still a little unnerving.  
"How is this a problem, then, Alucard? If they are such easy prey, why don't I just send you and Seras out tonight to track them down and kill them all"  
The vampire looked anticipatory and hungry. "I'm so glad that it will not be that easy. The weres in the den tonight were just pups, and judging by the size and use of the den, there are dozens, if not a hundred more. If they have maintained typical pack hierarchy, there will be a mated pair. Oh, how wonderful it will be to find that alpha male and see what he is capable of! He's ancient, Integra...I can feel it. I can smell his power, and so can every other predator around. I do not think I will be disappointed"  
Fantastic. Vampires and were-coyotes running rampant in my poor crippled country. All in a days work, I suppose.  
"Very well. It will be up to you and Miss Victoria to bring all the information you can find on the situation. Please try not to involve any other foreign military or religious groups. I'm too busy to be saving you from that damned and damnable Catholic monster"  
An expression of irritation fell over the vampire's face like a barely perceptible shadow. It was gone before I could comment, replaced by a more typical deadpan. "I understand that we will be calling the Police Girl "Commander" now." There didn't seem to be any disapproval in his tone, or any emotion at all for that matter. I nodded. "Yes. Does that bother you, Alucard"  
"Of course not. I don't follow your human military chain-of-order anyway"  
"True enough. You are dismissed for the night. Report with Miss Victoria tomorrow any findings you may reach between now and then"  
The vampire began to disappear from the floor up. As the lower part of his body dissipated like mist, he stared at me, a grin curling the edges of his mouth. "And how long, I wonder, will I continue to follow your orders, Integra?" The grin, and the rest of him, vanished.  
I had wondered the same thing myself. 


	8. WereCoyotes and Their Natural Habitat

I spent the next week alternately hidden away in the library and pacing in the garden. Unsurprisingly, the library had very little information about coyotes or werewolves. I looked up everything that I thought might be relevant : wolves, wild dogs, wizards and superstitions. Walter had seen them before in Panama and shared what little he had observed of them. Even that left me with only a few sheets of notes to work with.

A little well placed cash got the electricians onto the property a week earlier than scheduled. I soon found myself in my room with the door locked while the mansion was brought up to the 21st century. Alucard chose to stay in-coffin that day, a decision I was tremendously grateful for. It wouldn't do to have any electrical union members disappear. We would never get anyone to take a job here again, and God knows, the place needed some work.

I was a little surprised at how scarce the vampire had made himself that week. When I asked Seras about it, she admitted that he had been behaving a little oddly, choosing to work on his own and occasionally not returning until after she had gone to sleep for the day. I often found letters on my side table in the morning, detailing some action Alucard had taken the night before. Typical things, killing a fledgling vampire that had had the poor taste to eat a jogger and not make it look like an accident, or returning to the coyote den to watch for returning lycanthropes. I saw very little of the vampire himself.

Dreams were a different matter entirely. No night went by that I did not wake from strange nightmares with the prickling sensation of his presence. I was sleeping longer than I used to, but waking un-rested. Not generally one for naps, I found myself delaying going to sleep at night and dozing off for an hour or two in the afternoons. I blamed it on my recovery, but I couldn't help but notice that I slept better when Alucard was in his coffin.

I was fairly cheerful the day the last workman packed up his things and left the property. I'd had a decent night of sleep the night before and I was no longer confined to the handful of rooms that were being left alone. Even more exciting, I had a lovely new laptop and was eager to try out the wireless internet that Walter had been extolling the virtues of.

I carried my computer to the library, settled myself onto the comfortable window seat, and began my research in earnest. It was refreshing to have such speedy access to all the information I had been digging around for. I quickly found multiple encyclopedia entries for coyotes, but none for were-coyotes. There were a few promising pages about were-coyotes in mythology though, and I was able to glean a lot of information from those.

It seems that were-coyotes have as long and colorful a history as werewolves. While not as frightening or as savage as their lupine cousins, were-coyotes of lore are notoriously crafty. Native-American and Mexican folklore is simply rife with tales of shamans who can take the form of coyotes or wolves. Opinions are split, however, over whether coyotes were intelligent, helpful creatures or clever, wicked tricksters. There were far too many stories for my liking with coyotes as the villains. I prefer my opponents to be stupid or at least unoriginal. I'll take a ghoul over a demi-god any day.

I wondered if were-coyotes hated silver bullets as vampires did.

At midday Walter appeared with tea and sandwiches. He surveyed my growing stack of notes with interest. "I see that you are making some headway. Did Alucard bring you the news this morning?"

I shook my head and swallowed the bite of sandwich I was chewing. "What news?"

Walter dropped a few newspaper clippings onto my keyboard. Full color photos showed a crime scene teaming with horrified looking emergency workers. The caption proclaimed that wild dogs had raided a family home, killing the young couple and completely eating their toddler. Their teenage son was no where to be found. Police, of course, were mystified.

I dropped the rest of my sandwich on the floor, and felt the blood leave my face.

"Sir Integra, are you-"

"I'm fine Walter. Just…caught unaware. Why did Alucard not report this to me?"

"I have no idea, Madam. He spent last night out as usual, but I did not see him return. He's in his room now. If you like I can send him up to see you when he awakens."

"Please do." I picked the sandwich up and set it on the edge of the tray. My appetite was gone and my mouth was dry with anger. The damn vampire was causing me problems. What the hell was he out doing, if not taking care of things like this?

"Is there anything else I can do, Sir Integra?"

"No, Walter, that is all." I was already searching the web for more information about the killings. Local news was having a field day with it, coming out with features like "Wild Animal-proofing Your Home" and "Are Your Precious Children At Risk of Mauling?"

I heard the door click as Walter exited. I was searching with only half my attention. The other half was fuming at Alucard for being so uncommunicative. I knew that at this time of year I had at least four hours before he would make an appearance. I set my laptop on the window seat beside me and stood up. I wanted a cigar, but I was refraining from smoking in the library. It wasn't my house, after all. I walked the wall of books again, scanning the spines, but saw nothing that helped. My problem wasn't coyotes right now, or even were-coyotes. My problem was tall, dark haired and dangerous. And he hadn't reported in person in almost a week.

Frustrated, I threw myself down onto a drop-cloth covered sofa. Bonded or not, his little secrets were going to be an issue. I wasn't used to not getting the whole truth from him. He could do the kinds of investigation that I could not. Even the Police Girl lacked some of the powers that vampire possessed.

I pulled a cigar from my breast pocket and chewed on the tip meditatively. Perhaps notes from Alucard's original bonding remained in the Hellsing estate's basement laboratory. It was worth looking for. But not right now. My sagging eyelids were telling me it was time for another nap.

--

There was sand on my face, and in my nose and in my mouth. I pushed myself up to my hands and knees, coughing and pushing my tangled hair out of my face. I had been lying facedown on what revealed itself to be the floor of a cave. A small, clean-burning fire illuminated the cave and cast jagged, flickering shadows on the walls. It smelled like something had died very recently inside.

I got to my feet, using the wall to brace myself. The floor was uneven and littered with sticks and bones. A man sat next to the fire on a pile of skins. His long black hair had streaks of white in it, but his skin was smooth and his eyes were young and glittering. He was unwrapping something that had been rolled in a piece of uncured leather. I moved to the other side of the fire to get a better look. It occurred to me now that the man had not seemed to notice my presence. Even when I was coughing he had not so much as twitched.

He tossed the strip of leather aside and held his prize aloft: the plump but diminutive leg of a small child. With a sigh of enormous pleasure, he began to nibble on the wet end. Long sharp incisors slid from his gums and he began to rip chunks off of the bone. I made an involuntary sound of disgust and his eyes looked up to where I stood; yellow eyes that looked right through my body. A bloody bit of meat dripped from his mouth.

Toddler meat.

The family from the news.

The family that we might have been able to save if Alucard was still cooperating with me. I gagged and staggered out of the cave into the night air. Only, it wasn't night. It was the backs of my eyelids and I was waking again.

I sat up, coughing. My mouth tasted like bile, and I thought I could still smell the dust and blood of the cave. The vividness of the dream left me disoriented and a little nauseous. Feeling foolish, I patted my face and hair. Not dusty. It was only my imagination.

A loud groaning screech made me sit up like a shot. A giant wingback chair near the fireplace was turning on it's rusty aged hinges. It was Alucard seated comfortably and looking quite pleased with himself.

"And how did you like that, my dear Miss Hellsing?"

I scowled at him. His appearance had not helped my disorientation. "What are you talking about? How long have you been here?"

"The visit, of course. Those aren't easy to do, you know. Not in that detail. I'd have a headache for sure, if I were capable of such mortal weaknesses."

Now I was angry and confused. "YOU gave me that dream? That was dreadful! Why would you do such a thing?"

He stretched his long legs out in front of him, slipping lower in the chair but looking no less poised. "You didn't like it? Too bad. After all this time, and I still don't know how to pick out a gift for a lady."

He was playing with me, and I was ready to punch him in the mouth. I didn't like being confused, and it fed my anger. "Gift, my ar-…Alucard, just tell me what I saw."

"That's the pack leader, Integra. The Alpha. The…what is it you 21st century humans say?…"Top Dog". He's quite old. Probably older than me…possibly stronger." Alucard sounded like he relished the notion. "I only wonder how we never noticed him before."

I didn't really care. I was concerned about something else. "Alucard, they killed a family today. Where were you? Why haven't you been reporting?"

Alucard made a noise I had never heard him make before: a rude puffing of air from between his teeth. "Why concern myself with the kits when bigger game is afoot? Let them eat the entire neighborhood. I want to destroy the man you saw. He's the real challenge. Those pups are tedious."

So it was just a game for him, a diversion. I was so angry I didn't know what to say. Alucard solved my problem by standing up, announcing that he was going to go find some food, and walking out through the window. And just like that, it seemed, I had lost whatever allegiance the vampire still felt.

* * *

Authors Note: Yeah, it's been over a year. I've been busy! I may put off posting any updates until I get this plot on track. I have direction, I swear. Also, I'll be spending next year in London, and that's bound to make some differences in this story! Thanks for your patience!


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